I just bought (yesterday) a Speed6 Sport (MSRP 28,800) and got it for $22,400 with wheel locks, compass mirror, and floor mats.

Its almost as fast as my '95 3000GT VR4 (3.0L V6 TwinTurbo)

I'd say its a little slower than an STI/EVO, but is fairly well matched against a Subie Legacy GT Spec-B. The Subie has a little better gearing (slightly faster in the traps), but the MS6 has a little more refined handling for quick maneuvering (ie less body roll).

Car and Driver rated the Speed6
SAE 274hp
0-60mph = 5.4s
1/4mi = 14.0s
Top speed = 150 (electronically limited)

PS- this one only comes in 4 colors (I think)and Manual 6spd.

They also have Mazda national leasing on it for $329/mo+tax +$2500inception, 27mo lease. Not too shabby, but if you do it negotiate the price down first and then talk lease. Not bad considering an EVO is leasing right now for $689/mo for a 39mo lease!

 

22k! i told u guys! theres some major incentives on that car

also, i dont compare the EVO to the speed6. sure. their both quick. the evo is 100% boy racer. while the speed6 has speed and class. i cant imaging myself 10 years from now (27 yrs old) driving an evo to work on wall street. speed6? totally.

and btw. what color is ur speed6. ( i love it in wwhite )

 

Both an STI and EVO have significantly better performance than a Speed6. A stock STI will run low 13's on the drag strip and the EVO isn't far behind. Both are "race cars" so if you want any comfort the Speed6 is a much better way to go.

In my opinion, the bottom line is that if you have even the slightest doubt that a Speed6 may not be the perfect car for you, then it is NOT what you should purchase. I would trust a naturally aspirated engine anyday for reliability and longevity. I am a Speed3 owner and I purchased the extended warranty because of the turbo, I wouldn't have even considered it on a standard 3. I was going to get a regular 3, but after a couple of weeks of talking myself out of the Speed I finally gave in to my inner wild child. If you don't have that inner feeling, then don't waste your money.

 

As far as reliability goes, a turbo motor, if built right like the speed6 motor is, can be just as reliable and long lasting as an N/A motor, so long as u keep up on the maintenance (don't know about u guys but I'm not going 7500mi between oil changes like the book says). Turbo motors start getting unreliable when people start cranking up the boost and doing crazy mods, also dependent upon driving style.

As far as the EVO and STi, I've taken one of both through the top of 4th gear - that's a 1/4 mile there. There are people on the mazda6club.com forum running almost 13.5's in their stock or slightly modded speed6 with about a 99-101 trap speed. As far as C/D and R/T. I don't know if they can't drive, or if they had a problem with a preproduction model during testing, but their numbers are not accurate. Just do the math on the car and a 14.0 1/4 mile with an 86 mph trap speed is pathetic for a car with such close gearing and almost 300hp and tq (although we could do with one less shift to hit 60 mph). Yes, the EVO and STi are closer to 12's in stock form, but they are way too racer. Try driving one of those on a daily basis, or try taking one on a 1200 mi trip like I took my speed 6 on. You'd be stopping every 2 hours to try and see if your wake up your ****.

If you want the speed, the style, and the comfort, the speed 6 is the way to go, and with the incentives around right now, you can get one for around the price of a regular impreza wrx or less. There isn't much around that is faster than the speed 6 other than evo/sti. Yeah, you get looks in those two cars because people know what they are, but you get looks in the speed too, cuz people don't know what the car is. I've actually almost been hit several times and almost caused a few accidents when I'm driving and people stare at the car after they hear the wastegate. Sometimes people look at every other car to see if it's coming from them first. It's hilarious. I love my speed 6, even more so than my mustang (although I miss that v8 rumble but this is faster and a sleeper to boot). And I love being able to walk through a parking lot knowing I have the fastest car there (happens a lot in this car). A faster car (not to mention a fast car that's as good looking) cannot be had for as any less than about 35K plus.

 

Sin6Racer -> Velocity Red, and I'm also 27. never thought I'd be in a sedan this soon, but its hard not to in this car!

JBix -> I know it says 7500mi between oil changes but oil is the cheapest protection you can give your car. Also if the turbo seals ever start leaking the turbo will eat oil, or if the turbo starts coking, the intercooler will clog and then you may wish you considered doing it sooner. I spun a bearing in my 3000GT VR4 due to a bad turbo eating up my oil and was set way back on repairng the engine. I now change it every 2500-3500mi with redline 5w20. Had I been changing it more often (it happened about 3500mi after the change), I would have caught that I was 2 quarts shy of oil!

I only say all this cause it looks like you like to push the limits, lol!

 

Well, first I need to find my limits, lol, but unfortunately, gas is too expensive right now, so she's getting babied.. I always stick to a strict 5K oil change routine and check my fluids and top off at least weekly. Right now, I just go to the mazda dealer, cuz they give me the oil change/tire rotation/etc for less than I can buy the synthetic oil alone. I know that the earliest sign of motor probs/the easiest to detect, is oil loss, especially in a turbo motor, so I check it religiously. If I had the option, I'd find a place that sells lucas motor oil, and put in their 5-20 every 5k, but I don't know anywhere that sells that stuff.

 

online baby!

 

true, but I really hate buying stuff online

 

Dont you wish there was a peformance shop ever 10 miles that had everything you need from exterior to interior to engine. Only in a perfect world.

 

Well, in a perfect world, all that stuff would be in my garage!